Probably followed by MAJOR announcement #2 from NASCAR saying they are doing away with the top 35 in points making the field so Jr's start up team won't have problems qualifying. Unless he and Bud cough up big cash for some 2007 points.

Here are the items from Jayski on this. Basically I believe he'll buy provisionals from DEI or somewhere. I doubt he'd go into this with no owners points. BTW, when all this talk started a few months ago, I predicted he'd go with his own team. He's surrounded himself with people from his birth mother's side of the family and friends, so I had a feeling this would be his fall-back position if Teresa refused to hand over majority ownership.

Cheryl

From Jayski:

"Dale Jr. & Truex to JR Motorsports? press conference at 11am/et UPDATE 2: Dave Moody reported on Wednesday afternoon's Sirius Speedway that rumor has it that Dale Earnhardt Jr. will announce tomorrow [Thurs, May 10th] at JR Motorsports, that both he and #1-Martin Truex, Jr. will drive in the Nextel Cup Series for JR Motorsports in 2008. Hendrick Motorsports will provide engines for the team. A press conference is planned for 11:00am/et at JR Motorsports headquarters per a PR from the team and SPEED will interrupt regularly scheduled programming to go LIVE from the JR Motorsports race shop at 11:00am/et for a news conference with NASCAR Nextel Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.(5-9-2007)UPDATE: Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR's biggest star, has been in contract negotiations with his current employer, Dale Earnhardt Inc., and is asking for 51% ownership of the team. But the location of the press conference, at JR Motorsports, which Earnhardt Jr. owns separately from DEI, indicates his future plans might not include DEI. Earnhardt Jr., who was at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Wednesday evening for a sponsor appearance, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he planned to talk about "some ideas I've got for the future" but would not elaborate. Officials from DEI did not return phone calls seeking comment. But Earnhardt Jr., answering questions from fans at an event held by his sponsor Budweiser, indicated that his plans for JR Motorsports might not include adding two Nextel Cup cars. He said his main goal in being a team owner is to be able to help young drivers and mechanics advance their careers. "I don't want the company to get too big," he said. "I've got about 70 employees now, and I don't want to get too many more." He also seemed to squelch another persistent rumor — that he was headed to Richard Childress Racing to drive the #3 Chevrolet made famous by his late father. "'I'd like to do it for a year or two at the end of my career, when I'm 50 or 55," he said.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(5-9-2007)UPDATE 2: Dale Earnhardt Jr. officially will say goodbye to Dale Earnhardt Inc. on Thursday morning. A highly placed source within DEI as well as additional sources familiar with the situation told Yahoo! Sports on Wednesday afternoon that both Junior and teammate Martin Truex Jr. will announce Thursday morning that they are leaving the DEI camp at the end of this season and will drive for Earnhardt's heretofore Busch Series operation, JR Motorsports. Sources at Hendrick Motorsports reportedly disavowed knowledge of a pending partnership. Also, various reports have indicated that Earnhardt Jr. will announce his plans to leave DEI, but that he won't necessarily be driving for a JR Motorsports team in association with Hendrick. Sources tell Yahoo! Sports that Earnhardt Jr.'s primary sponsor, Budweiser, will follow Junior to JR Motorsports or wherever he lands. Budweiser's contract with DEI is due to expire at the end of 2008, but Yahoo! Sports sources believe there are provisions within the contract for an early exit if Earnhardt Jr. does not drive the #8 Chevrolet for DEI. There has been no comment thus far from either DEI president Teresa Earnhardt (Dale Jr.'s stepmother) or company director of global operations Max Siegel. Truex's contract with DEI reportedly runs through 2008, though '08 might be only an option year on his deal with the team. It also is possible Truex has an out tied to primary sponsor Bass Pro Shops' future with the DEI. Sources have told Yahoo! Sports that the sponsor has explored moving to a different team after this season.(Yahoo!Sports)(5-10-2007)"

I just hope that throughout all this hoopla that FOX and ESPN don't forget that there are races this weekend. Cup qualifying looks like it will be a waste of time now. I 'm sure we will be watching the Dale Earnhardt Jr 500 Saturday night. The rest of the drivers may as well head home.

And then there's this: At the press meeting at Atlanta that Cheryl referenced (through Jayski), Dale Jr. said that making JR Motorsports into a Nextel Cup team was "not a priority." John Anderson, ESPN anchor, told me that on SportsCenter. So we must deal with the possibility of a bidding war.

In a few minutes, we'll all find out whether or not Dale Jr. is forming his own team. That would be the easier scenario as DEI and RYR would then go ahead with the rumored merger. If instead Dale Jr. fills a spot on an existing team, a ripple effect would begin in which many, many drivers would change teams.

From Jayski (he also has a video clip on his news page that looks like you could download the press conference):

"UPDATE: some highlights from the Dale Earnhardt Jr. press conference:Dale Jr. will leave DEI at the end of the seasonSponsor/Budweiser? will be discussed in a timely mannerCar #8: No decision, but Dale Jr. expects DEI to keep the car number 8. Note: NASCAR owns and assigns car numbers to an owner(s). NASCAR reserves the right to revoke or transfer car numbers to another owner/team at any time. Car numbers are non-assignable and non-transferable, except by NASCAR. NASCAR works with teams and sponsors when a specific number is requested. Team have been known to 'sell' car numbers, like when DEI got the number from the Stovala Brothers in 2000, #15 from Bud Moore, etc.Crew Chief Tony Eury Jr.: no decision on if crew chief Eury Jr. will go with DaleJr, Dale Jr. said he can't speak for Eury Jr.DEI Teammate Truex Jr.: is not part of this situation or discussionPossible Plans:1) sign with a top tier Nextel Cup team [one that wins and runs for the championship2) sign with a second tier team3) and the last choice, would be to run Nextel Cup with Dale Jr's own team, JR Motorsports, but no plans for that to happen at this points, Dale Jr. does hope he can drive a few Busch Series [or whatever it will be called in 2008] out of the JR Motorsports shop.Why leave DEI? Dale Jr. said he negotiations were never close, and he knows fans are disappointed, but so is he.More on this and hopefully a transcript will be posted in a bit.(5-10-2007)"

I've got a feeling this will be VERY interesting in the near future. Junior and Budweiser have quite a bargaining advantage considering the sponsorship problems some teams are having but I'll put my money on Childress or Gibbs (in that order). I just don't know how much baggage may be bringing with him to another team and the associated headaches of accommodating NASCAR's golden boy. Childress teams are showing a lot of promise this year and if I was Richard, I'd be concerned with upsetting that progression with Jeff and Kevin. Gibbs, on the other hand, has an apparently disgruntled two time champion with Tony and Hamlin showing great potential. I know Tony and Jr. are buddies, but so was my wife and I before we got married. If I had to bet, I'd bet on Jr. in a Gibbs car next year unless Joe has an objection to the Bud sponsorship due to his beliefs.

It'll be interesting to watch

Logged

I'm keeping with NASCAR's theme.."Idiot of Tomorrow" so Speedcouch needs a new resident idiot.

I agree with you on most of your points, James! Imagine that! I think if Childress can't accommodate him, Gibbs is the most likely place for him to go, but I don't know even if Joe himself was back running the team if he could manage both Tony and JR.

Time will tell where he lands, but as Lou and I have discussed, I have a feeling any chemistry he had with his current team is gonna be gone after this announcement. Not a good thing for a team that is just got back into the top 12 last week and have a tenuous hold on it.

Unfortunately, Dick, I'm afraid Brian is right; I sure we'll see this story as the focus of both ESPN's and Fox coverage this weekend. And, dammit, Darlington deserves better! Although weather is looking real iffy for tonight and tomorrow night. I have a feeling we'll be seeing another traditional Sunday afternoon race this weekend.

The latest report has Dale Earnhardt, Jr. at Richard Childress Racing, driving the same #3 car as his father. If so, this would create the biggest story NASCAR has ever seen since, well, his father died. It is something millions of fans have wanted to see for a long, long time.

Certainly, RCR fits the competitiveness criteria. Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton have been race winners this year and were in the 2006 chase. Clint Bowyer has never won (in Cup racing), but looks promising.

On the other hand, Dale Jr. has said that he is neither ready to drive car #3 or feel worthy of it.

I disagree. This offer may never come to him again, and I would take it in a hurry.